The money your church provides through Texas Baptists’ Cooperative Program unified budget supports college ministry on more than 120 Texas campuses. This letter is an example that reminds us of the importance of this outreach:
“I want to thank the students that went to South Padre over spring break that ended up being the weekend that I found God.
“I remember a young lady who not only gave me sunscreen and a ride home, but also gave me Jesus.
“By the second day I was there, I was pretty much as bright as a tomato. My sunburn was pretty bad, but then this girl gave me sunscreen.
“She not only gave me sunscreen, but she started to talk to me about God. I’m not a religious person. I’m a 17-year-old teenager who is in and out of foster homes, and God just wasn’t my thing. I just half-listened to her conversation. But as she was leaving, she told me she would be praying for me, praying that I see God and give my life to him. I told her I wasn’t interested, and we went our separate ways.
“The next night, I was at a party with my friends. I ended up completely wasted and was in no condition to drive to the place we were staying.
“Then I had my second encounter with this young lady. She offered to give me a ride. At first, I rejected her invitation. I told her to get lost, that I didn’t need her help, that I didn’t want her help. But after taking about five steps and falling over, I accepted her invitation.
“She and a few of the other people with her gave me a ride—and they wanted nothing in return. They just wanted to give me a ride—for free. The only time I ever got a free ride was when I was being taken to the juvenile detention center.
“As I got out of the car that night, she told me again she was going to be praying for me, praying that I see God and give my life to him. Once again, I told her I wasn’t interested in her God, and we went our separate ways.
Sign up for our weekly edition and get all our headlines in your inbox on Thursdays
“A few weeks ago, my life took a turn for the worse. My girlfriend got pregnant, my foster parents ‘returned’ me and my best friend now hates me. My world is in pieces. But I felt God speak to me. I kept hearing those words she said, ‘I’m going to be praying for you to find God and give your life to him.’
“Well, I found God. I gave my life to him. I know she must still be praying for me—a stranger, a drunken delinquent teenager.
“I don’t know anything about this young lady who showed me God. So, whoever you are, thank you! Thank you for showing me there is someone who actually cares. Thank you for not giving up. Thank you for showing me this God.”
We seek to connect God’s story and God’s people around the world. To learn more about God’s story, click here.
Send comments and feedback to Eric Black, our editor. For comments to be published, please specify “letter to the editor.” Maximum length for publication is 300 words.